Department for Transport

Trains: Procurement

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what orders for new passenger trains are currently being processed, and in each case (1) how many train sets of how many vehicles are included; (2) which company is building them and where, and which operators they arefor; (3) which body will own them; and (4) what is the cost of each order.

baroness sugg: There are a total of 6,012 carriages that have been formally contracted and which are currently on order, or in the processes of being delivered. A breakdown is in the attached table.



HL2261 - List of Carriages
(Word Document, 14.67 KB)

Aviation: Alcoholic Drinks

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the rise in the number of disruptive passenger incidents on flights to and from the UK in the past year.

baroness sugg: We are looking at the issue of disruptive passengers as part of the development of the Aviation Strategy. The Government will continue to engage and meet with a broad range of operators in the aviation sector to monitor developments and to explore any further actions to support the industry’s efforts in this field.

Aviation: Crimes of Violence

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of recent reports that one in five cabin crew may have been physically assaulted during a flight, whatestimate they have made of the number of cabin crew who are subjected to verbal, physical, or sexual abuse whilst working on UK flights.

baroness sugg: The Government does not collect specific data on the number of cabin crew who are subjected to verbal, physical, or sexual abuse whilst working on UK flights. All staff working in the aviation sector should have a safe working environment and any instances of abuse, whether verbal, sexual or physical, are totally unacceptable. Any abuse should be reported to the police.

Monarch Airlines: Insolvency

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they asked Greybull Capitalto make any contribution towards the cost of repatriating to the UK passengers of Monarch Airlines, or sought to establish a claim on any asset surplus remaining in Monarch.

baroness sugg: Our initial aim was to repatriate passengers back to the UK safely. Now that this has been achieved, we are focused on making sure that there is clear burden sharing, and that it is not only the government who pays. There is no formal legal mechanism we can use to oblige Greybull to contribute towards the cost of repatriating passengers. However, we have entered into discussions with several third parties with the aim of recovering the costs of the repatriation operation and will in due course be able to report back with more detail.

Railway Stations: Access

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to clarify what access improvements will be completed during Control Period 6 for Network Rail, including (1) the completion dates of access schemes at stations that were not completed during Control Period 5, and (2) expected completion dates for access improvements for additional stations.

baroness sugg: All of the stations selected for Access for All funding since 2006 are available on the Network Rail website at: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/station-improvements/access-for-all/ This includes the current planned completion timescales for the stations not completed during CP5, all of which have funding approved and include the 26 deferred stations. Funding for access improvements at additional stations in the 2019-2024 Control Period is still being determined.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Domestic Appliances: Safety

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the Grenfell Tower fire, what consideration they have given to reviewing their policy on the mandatory recall of faulty electrical goods.

lord henley: Under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 manufacturers of electrical products are required to monitor their products on the market. Should they identify unsafe equipment, they must take immediate corrective action to make the equipment safe, withdraw it or recall it. Enforcement authorities also have powers to require a manufacturer to take corrective action, including by requiring withdrawal or recall of unsafe products.We have asked the British Standards Institution (BSI) to develop a code of practice on corrective action and recalls. BSI’s consultation on the draft code closes on 27th October and we expect the code to be available by the end of the year.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station is due to come on stream; what its output rate will be; what is the estimated total subsidy per year for each of the first three years of operation; and who will pay that subsidy.

lord henley: Hinkley Point C is scheduled to come online from 2025 with an electricity generating capacity of 3.2 GW. This represents 7% of the UK’s electricity needs based on estimated demand in the period 2025-2030.The Contract for Difference (CfD), agreed in September 2016, is an agreement for the Low Carbon Contracts Company Limited (LCCC) on behalf of electricity bill-payers to pay the generator the difference between the wholesale market price and a ‘strike price’ for every megawatt hour of electricity that it generates.The payments under the Hinkley Point C CfD will depend on wholesale prices at the time. In our published 2016 HPC value-for-money assessment, it was shown using a central scenario based on 2016 prices that the support payments in the first three years of the plant’s operation from 2025 are expected to be approximately £590m, £860m and £860m respectively (2012 prices, undiscounted).The difference payments under the CfD are only one element of a consumer's electricity bill, which will also include the wholesale price of electricity. A fall in the wholesale price would result in an increase in top-up payments, and conversely an increase in the wholesale price would result in a fall in top up payments, and payments by the generator to the LCCC should the wholesale price rise above the strike price. The overall price paid for electricity generated by HPC is therefore fixed at the strike price for the contract term of 35 years, after which the difference payments will stop.

Energy: Cooperatives

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution made by co-operatives to the energy sector.

lord henley: Co-operatives, ranging from small businesses to nationally recognised names such as John Lewis, play a valuable role in the UK with nearly 7,000 independent co-operatives contributing more than £36 billion to the British economy. Employing 226,000 people, the co-operative sector employs 0.7% of the UK’s workforce, making it a significant player in the economy. Co-operative UK published a report in 2017 which recorded 249 co-operatives engaged in the energy and environment sector, with a turnover of £12.7m.The Government funded the Community Shares programme over 2012- 2018 enabling growth of the market and seeing over £120m raised by communities to buy-out and run local enterprises which included the development of new community energy schemes.Co-operatives continue to play an important role in local and community energy projects, in particular. This Government is committed to empowering communities and these projects, which put local people in the driving seat, are an important part of a clean, secure and affordable energy system.With regards to renewable electricity, the Department provides quarterly updates on the number, and capacity, of installations within the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme registered as communities and schools, and co-operatives are one of the eligible legal entities to apply for this. These reports are available via the following link; however we do not hold installation level data for actual or projected generation for co-operatives: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-and-school-feed-in-tariff-statistics.The Government has not conducted a formal assessment of the contribution co-operatives have made to the wider energy sector; however we recognise that they and other community ownership models play an important role in reducing, managing, purchasing, and generating energy in the UK (for example, the Carbon Co-op).

Department for Exiting the European Union

EU Budget: Contributions

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to determine the UK's share of continuing contributions to the EU after Brexit.

lord callanan: We have been clear that, once we leave the EU, we will not be required to pay vast contributions to the EU budget. However, as we move forward, we will also want to continue working together in ways that promote the long-term economic development of our continent. This will include continuing to take part in those specific policies and programmes which are greatly to the UK and the EU’s joint advantage, such as those that promote science, education and culture – and those that promote our mutual security.As the Prime Minister reaffirmed in her Florence speech, in doing so, we would want to make an ongoing contribution to cover our fair share of the costs involved. We hope to have a full and open discussion with the EU about all of the options for collaboration as part of the negotiations on our future partnership.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords: Security

lord norton of louth: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what plans there are to ensure that members of the House of Lords wear their security passes when on the Parliamentary estate.

lord mcfall of alcluith: It is a firm requirement of the House authorities that all Parliamentary passholders must wear their security passes when they are on the Parliamentary Estate. The importance of pass-wearing was confirmed by the House of Lords Commission at its meeting on 13 September.Members of the House of Lords who do not comply with the requirement to wear their security passes on the Parliamentary Estate are liable to be challenged by Security Officers and others. Any cases where a member is persistent in not wearing their pass will be raised with the relevant Whips or with the Convenor of Crossbench Peers as necessary. In addition, spot checks on pass-wearing, assisted by mobile pass-readers on the Estate, will be conducted on a regular basis. The importance of pass-wearing is emphasised on posters displayed prominently throughout the Parliamentary Estate.

House of Lords: Waste Management

lord greaves: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what quantity of (1) paper for recycling, (2) waste for incineration, and (3) residual refuse, was collected within the House of Lords in each of the lastfive years.

lord mcfall of alcluith: The Houses of Parliament do not receive a breakdown of waste by House so the figures and information below account for Estate wide totals.(1) Since January 2012, Parliament has operated a mixed recycling scheme which captures paper, cardboard, plastics and cans as one waste stream and therefore we are not able to provide individual figures for paper collected as mixed recycling. Figures for mixed recycling (figures in kgs) are as follows:20132014201520162017 (year to date)382,514407,977371,572382,439363,665 (2) Figures for general waste (figures in kgs) which is processed through an energy-from-waste facility are as follows:20132014201520162017 (year to date)612,714705,770611,365578,101493,188Parliament’s food waste from catering facilities is sent to an anaerobic digestion facility and while this is not incinerated, the resulting bio gas produced by this process can be burned directly in a gas boiler to produce electricity. Figures for catering waste (figures in kgs) are as follows:20132014201520162017 (year to date)160,973194,474136,285195,082180,755 (3) None of Parliament’s waste goes to landfill.

Department for Education

English Language: Education

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of the report Locked out of learning published by Refugee Action in March; and in what ways they have responded to its recommendations.

lord agnew of oulton: The Government welcomes the report published by Refugee Action earlier this year, highlighting for example, the need for a dedicated fund to support refugees to learn English.The Government will provide up to £10 million over five years to support refugees learning English who have come to the UK as part of the Vulnerable People’s Relocation Scheme. This is in addition to the funding provided to local councils as part of this scheme, which also covers English language training.Since September this year all local councils resettling Syrian families are required to provide a minimum of eight hours formal tuition a week within a month of arrival, for a period of 12 months or until the individual reaches English for Speakers of Other Languages entry level 3.In addition, all adults who are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection are eligible for the same skills funding as any other English resident.

Mandarin Language: Curriculum

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of China's ambition to double its GDP in 2010 by 2020; and whether they plan to encourage more schools to introduce Chinese Mandarin into their curriculum and accelerate the increase in student entries for Chinese Mandarin GCSE.

lord agnew of oulton: Despite a falling percentage growth rate, China’s current growth rate still means it is adding an economy the size of Switzerland to its GDP each year. The UK has strengths in many of the areas identified as key priorities for the next phase of China’s economic transition to a ‘moderately prosperous’ society, particularly in services.The Government is encouraging pupils to take a modern or ancient language, including Chinese Mandarin, as part of one of the academic subjects making up the English Baccalaureate at GCSE level.In 2017 there were 3,656 pupil entries for GCSE Chinese in England, a rise of 47% since 2010/2011[1].Chinese YearTotal entries2010/20112,4802011/20122,3072012/20132,3412013/20142,8302014/20153,2862015/20163,5752016/20173,656 The Department is funding an intensive language programme which aims to see at least 5,000 pupils in England on track towards fluency in Mandarin Chinese by 2020. 14 schools participated in the Mandarin Excellence Programme in the 2016/17 academic year, and an additional 23 have joined in 2017/18. Progress test results indicate that the first cohort of almost 400 pupils are excelling when it comes to learning Mandarin Chinese. The majority of those on the programme achieved marks of 80% or higher across specially-created tests in reading, writing, listening and speaking. [1] Subject time series tables https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gcse-and-equivalent-results-2016-to-2017-provisional.

Out-of-school Education

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimates they have made of the number of unregistered schools that serve (1) the strictly orthodox Charedi Jewish community; (2) Christian sects outside the established churches; and (3) those with Islamic beliefs.

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders in the past 12 months about the issue of unregistered schools.

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they have of whether unregistered schools are failing to provide children with a broad and balanced curriculum as provided for in legislation.

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had in the past 12 months with the Children's Commissioner, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Local Government Association and Chief Constables about unregistered schools; and what suggestions, if any, these parties have made for tackling the issues raised by unregistered schools.

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of children aged five to 16 years old who attend an unregistered state or independent school.

lord agnew of oulton: National statistics on the number of unregistered schools that serve the faiths stated in the question are not held centrally. Neither are details on the nature of the curriculum. However, we know from Ofsted’s Annual Report 2015/16 that at the time of publication, about a third of the settings inspected were associated with particular faith groups and were found to be deliberately teaching a restricted, faith-based curriculum. The annual report is available via the attached document. The section on unregistered schools begins at paragraph 251. The Government has had numerous discussions with a range of faith groups covering a number of matters, but no specific conversations about unregistered schools with the unregistered schools team. Nor have there been specific conversations between the unregistered schools team and the Children’s Commissioner or Chief Constables. However, the unregistered schools team has had a series of meetings with local councils to discuss how they, as well as the Department and Ofsted, can work collaboratively to help ensure children found to be attending unregistered independent schools and out of school settings are safe and are receiving a suitable education. We have kept the Local Government Association informed on progress. We, together with Ofsted, have had regular discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service and are close to agreeing a formal memorandum of understanding, to be published in due course, that sets out how each body discharges its responsibilities in relation to prosecution of cases for the offence of operating an unregistered school. As reported by Ofsted in its annual report, the Ofsted team has only found a relatively small number of institutions operating as unregistered schools, and most of those have ceased operating. Ofsted did not include a figure for the number of children in the unregistered schools that they had discovered, but given that the number of such institutions is relatively small, the number of children being educated in them is likely to be limited.



Ofsted Annual Report 2015/16
(PDF Document, 3.29 MB)

Out-of-school Education

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the specific legislative provision that makes it an offence to operate an unregistered school; and what is the maximum penalty for doing so.

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have given local authorities regarding whether the attendance of a child at an unregistered school would mean a child would be considered to be at risk.

lord agnew of oulton: Section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 makes it an offence for any person to conduct an unregistered independent school. The maximum penalty for the offence is imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, a fine for which there is no maximum, or both.The Government has been working with Directors of Children’s Services on the issue of unregistered schools and in collaboration with them, and with Ofsted, have drawn up guidance on joint working between Ofsted, the Department and local councils on tackling unregistered schools. We intend to publish the guidance before the end of the calendar year. Local councils have overarching responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people, and, together with local safeguarding children board partners, they should be assessing any risks to children wherever they are educated. Local councils have a duty to investigate where they suspect that a child in their area is suffering, or likely to suffer harm. Where unregistered independent schools are identified, it is likely to be in the children’s best interests, in terms of both education and safety, for them to move as quickly as possible into properly regulated schools.

Home Education

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to local authorities to ensure that children receiving home education achieve key milestones in their education.

lord agnew of oulton: Departmental guidance for local councils on elective home education, copy attached, is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education. It gives advice on the legal framework under which education may be provided, and the processes which are relevant for local councils seeking to identify children who may not be receiving a suitable full-time education. However, the guidance document does not set out detailed advice on educational outcomes, because parents have a substantial degree of flexibility in terms of educational content and whether to enter children for examinations. Local councils which assess the educational provision made for a child educated at home need to decide whether it meets the requirement in section 7 of the Education Act 1996, that the education must be suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitudes, and any special educational needs.  



Elective Home Education
(PDF Document, 1.05 MB)

Pupils: Attendance

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether conduct by a parent preventing a child from attending an inspected state or independent school for religious or other reasons is recorded as a criminal offence; if so, what other criteria are taken into account before recording such an offence; and what guidance they have issued to (1) police forces, and (2) the Crown Prosecution Service, regarding this matter.

lord agnew of oulton: Parents have a duty to ensure their child of compulsory school age receives full-time education, either by attendance at school or otherwise. If parents choose to register their child at school, we expect them to ensure that their child attends all sessions required by the school, except where a statutory exception applies. The statutory exceptions in which a child shall not be taken to have failed to attend school regularly are: where the school has granted leave; where they are unable to attend due to sickness or unavoidable cause; on a day exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the parent belongs; or where the local council has failed to fulfil any duty it has to help them get to school. If, having chosen to register their child at school, parents fail to ensure their child attends school regularly, they may be guilty of an offence, and may be issued with a penalty notice or prosecuted under section 444 of the Education Act 1996. We provide statutory guidance ‘School behaviour and attendance: parental responsibility measures’, which schools, local councils and the police must have regard to when carrying out duties relating to poor attendance and behaviour in schools.

Ministry of Justice

Alternatives to Prison

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 17 October (HL1733), notwithstanding the sentencing discretion of the courts, whether they plan to create any additional types of non-custodial sentences, such as enhanced community service, in the interests of reducing prison overcrowding and re-offending; and what discussions they have had on this issue with relevant voluntary organisations.

lord keen of elie: The courts already have the flexibility to select requirements which are both a robust alternative to custody and provide opportunities to address the specific issues which contribute to a risk of re-offending. Electronically monitored curfews can provide stability and structure in offenders’ lives while maintaining family ties, accommodation or employment. Treatment requirements enable access to specialist help with mental health or substance misuse problems. The Rehabilitation Activity Requirement can be customised to identify and tackle the specific needs of individuals. Unpaid work not only provides an opportunity to undertake work of benefit to the local community and develop new skills but can also include activity that supports education, training and employment.

Ministry of Defence

West Africa: Military Aid

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what British military presence there currently is in Niger and Mali.

earl howe: The UK has eight military personnel deployed to Mali, six contributing to the EU Training Mission and two contributing to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali. The UK has no military presence in Niger.

AWACS

lord robathan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total cost of the extension to the Sentry Whole Life Support Programme, awarded in October 2016.

earl howe: The cost of the Sentry Whole Life Support Programme (WLSP) contract extension, which was awarded to Northrop Grumman in October 2016, is £309 million.The WLSP programme will provide technical and maintenance services to the Sentry E-3D airborne early warning aircraft until 2025. The extension takes the total cost of the programme to £1 billion.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact that the four-year freeze on income-related benefits will have on family budgets in England and Wales.

baroness buscombe: The Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 has frozen the majority of working-age benefits for four tax years, from 2016-17 to 2019-20. The analysis published at the time of the 2015 Budget assesses the impact of the measures in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. 30 per cent of households were estimated to be impacted by the benefit rate freeze. The average notional loss was estimated to be £6 a week in 2019/20. This analysis does not take into account employment effects in response to our welfare reforms. I attach the analysis to this response. 



Impact Assessment
(PDF Document, 263.2 KB)

Social Security Benefits

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact of the changing cost of living on incomes, particularly for those in receipt of income-related benefits.

baroness buscombe: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts rates of inflation (through the Consumer Price Index) and average earnings known as the OBR Historical Official Forecasts database. A copy of this is attached. Using figures published in the OBR Historical Official Forecasts Database, we note that between 2018 and 2021 earnings growth is forecasted to be consistently higher than inflation. Our welfare reforms to working-age benefits are part of the Government’s commitment to incentivise work as the best route out of poverty and support working families. This includes the introduction of the National Living Wage and cutting income tax for over 30 million people. For those in a position to work, earnings provide the best opportunity for income progression. Further, benefits for the additional cost of disability and benefits for pensioners continue to be uprated, as we are committed to supporting the most vulnerable groups.



OBR Historical Official Forecasts Database
(Excel SpreadSheet, 909.83 KB)

Universal Credit

baroness sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many couple households in the UK were in receipt of Universal Credit, and in how many of those households both partners were in paid work for at least 16 hours per week, in (1) 2014–15, (2) 2015–16, and (3) 2016–17.

baroness buscombe: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Water: Greater London

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to change the regulatory regime governing London's water infrastructure.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government has no plans to change the regulatory regime governing London's water infrastructure. In September, the Government laid in Parliament a strategic policy statement (SPS) to Ofwat. This set out clear priorities for Ofwat to secure the water industry’s resilience to drought, flooding and other risks and to protect customers who may struggle to afford their charges or are vulnerable in other ways. The SPS makes clear that we expect Ofwat to challenge companies to improve planning and investment in services to meet the needs of current and future customers.

Waste: China

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposals by China for stricter controls on imports of waste materials; and whether they intend (1) to propose changes to rules for recycling collections or treatment; (2) totake action to seek new markets for UK waste; (3) toinitiate or encourage investment in new or improved facilities for recycling or otherwise disposing of waste materials in the UK; (4)to seek changes to the composition and use of packing materials, plastics, and other materials that contribute to non-food waste.

lord gardiner of kimble: We recognise the concerns that the recycling industry has around these measures by China. Officials from Defra, the Environment Agency (EA) and the Department of International Trade (DIT) have been working with industry representatives to understand the expected impact of these measures, provide comment to China’s Environment Ministry and develop our response to the situation. The UK supported by a number of other EU Member States raised China’s failure to observe the notification requirements under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) with the European Commission. We also asked clarification on the scope of the proposed ban to help businesses prepare for the changes. It is for the Chinese authorities to set their own standards to protect the environment and public health and we must respect their decisions. In the longer term, new markets for UK recycling may need to be found, whether abroad or in the UK. We see this as an opportunity to develop internal market capacity.

Food: Labelling

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Red Tractor scheme.

lord gardiner of kimble: Red Tractor is an independent and voluntary UK based whole food chain assurance scheme overseen by Assured Food Standards, an organization that carries out inspections to confirm that businesses are meeting their standards, in areas such as food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.   The Government is not responsible for Red Tractor, or other independent assurance schemes.

Sky Lanterns

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to deal with the hazard posed by sky lanterns.

lord gardiner of kimble: An independent study commissioned by Defra and the Welsh Government published in 2013 concluded that the risks to animals or damage to the environment by sky lanterns were relatively minor and that voluntary action and initiatives have been shown to be effective.We are aware of the ongoing concerns among livestock keepers, the wider agricultural community and others about the potential risks posed by balloons. We continue working with the agricultural industry to address those concerns.

Livestock: Animal Welfare

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the food welfare standards for hens and sows reared in Brazil, Thailand, Canada and the United States; and (2) whether future tariffs on imported poultry and pork products from those countriescould be linked to higher animal welfare standards.

lord gardiner of kimble: Brazil, Canada, Thailand and the US all have laws designed to protect farm animals, and in the case of the United States they vary from state to state. Defra is not aware of any detailed comparative analysis of these countries’ welfare standards. All produce imported into the EU must comply with EU rules and these standards will apply to imports into the UK and domestic production when we leave the EU. As we move towards a new relationship with Europe and the rest of the world, we are determined to maintain our high standards and improve them where appropriate. Any future trade agreements must work for consumers, farmers, and businesses in the UK. We will not water down our standards on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection as part of any future trade deals.

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK will be represented at the 37th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention in Strasbourg in December; and if so whom the UK representative will be.

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their position on the items on the agenda for the 37th Standing Committee of the Bern Convention in December.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK will be attending the 37th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention. We are currently agreeing who the UK representatives will be.   We have recently received the agenda papers and are currently agreeing the UK position.

Home Office

Grenfell Tower: Fires

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement byLord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 19 October, what further information is available regarding (1) the options available to foreign national survivors of the Grenfell disaster to gain permanent residences; (2) who might benefit from any arrangements; (3) how such arrangements will operate; (4) what support and assistance will be provided to those who may avail themselves of such arrangements; and (5) how information about such arrangements is being made available to those who might benefit.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government has introduced a dedicated immigration policy for survivors of the Grenfell tragedy. Eligible survivors are granted an initial 12 months’ leave to remain and are then able to extend their leave and qualify for permanent residence after five years’ lawful residence under this policy, subject to meeting security, criminality and fraud checks.The following groups of individuals are eligible for leave under this policy: Those with no immigration status (including those who have entered the UK illegally or have overstayed their visas);EEA nationals who are not exercising treaty rights (i.e. not working, studying or self-sufficient, who have not obtained a permanent residence document from the Home Office);People from non-EEA countries with limited leave to remain that is about to expire (within 12 months or less);Failed asylum seekers with no outstanding further submissions;Those refused asylum who are not appeal rights exhausted; andPeople with a current immigration status which is subject to a condition of ‘no recourse to public funds’.Individuals must have been resident at Grenfell Tower on the date of the fire, or living close to Grenfell Tower and have lost their home permanently. Individuals who think that they might be eligible should come forward to Home Office staff at The Community Assistance Centre, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP by 30 November 2017 where they will have the opportunity to provide relevant details. Individuals can bring a friend with them and translators are available if needed. The Home Office will then consider whether the individual meets the criteria for the granting of leave. People can learn more about the scheme by calling 0300 303 2832, 24 hours a day or by visiting https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/grenfell-tower-fire-handling-immigration-cases for detailed guidance on how cases will be considered.



Grenfell Tower -Fire handling immigration cases
(PDF Document, 439.17 KB)

HM Treasury

Employees' Contributions: Young People

baroness neville-rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the cost would be of removing the payment of employee national insurance by people under 26.

lord bates: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. HMRC does not hold an estimate of the cost of making this policy change. In order to do so would require the modelling of the cost in pre-behaviour terms as well as a number of behavioral adjustments to the costing driven by the differential NICs rates on different income streams this policy would create for those under 26.

National Insurance

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many National Insurance numbers there are at present; and how many have been cancelled in each of the last five years.

lord bates: The information requested is not readily available as it is not held centrally. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost. National Insurance numbers cannot be cancelled. This is because a National Insurance number, even if only used for a limited period, links an individual to their National Insurance contributions record which may be relevant in any future claim to benefits or State Pension.

Cabinet Office

Ethnic Groups: Equality

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government which departments are responsible for considering the implications of the Race Disparity Audit; and which is the lead department for co-ordinating action on its findings.

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take further to the publication of the Race Disparity Audit commissioned by the Prime Minister.

lord young of cookham: Government departments remain responsible for considering the implications of the findings of the Race Disparity Audit on their policies and services. A specialist unit in the Cabinet Office will consider and co-ordinate the next steps.The Government has launched a programme of work to tackle some of the ethnic disparities identified in the Audit. This covers the Department for Work and Pensions taking action in twenty targeted ‘hotspots’, the Ministry of Justice taking forward a number of recommendations made in the recent Lammy Review and the Department for Education taking forward an external review to improve practice in exclusions. Further announcements on future Government work will follow in the coming months.

Department for International Trade

Sichuan Guodong Construction Group: Sheffield

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Sichuan Guodong Construction Group in relationship to the Sheffield City Council investment deal with that Group.

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what risks they highlighted in their due diligence on the Sichuan Guodong Construction Group; and what information about those risksthey then passed on to Sheffield City Council in the light of their investment dealwith that Group.

baroness fairhead: In 2015 UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) considered the development track record and market capital of Sichuan Guodong Construction Group Corporation Limited, the parent company, and Sichuan Guodong Construction Ltd, a listed subsidiary company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in relation to their ability to make significant investments in Sheffield. This included a recommendation from the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China that Wang Chunming, chairman of both companies, was included in the business delegation alongside President Xi for his October 2015 State Visit to the UK.This consideration of this group of companies was in conjunction with UKTI taking a role in supporting the relationship that had emerged between this group of companies and Sheffield City Council.On 28th June 2016 a co-operation signing document was signed between Sichuan Guodong Construction Group Corporation Ltd (the parent company) and Sheffield City Council.In 2015 UKTI did not identify undue risks when considering whether they should take a role in supporting the relationship that had emerged between the Sichuan Guodong group of companies and Sheffield City Council. Therefore no risks were identified to Sheffield City Council.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Data Protection: USA

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have taken any steps to examine the liability of the Information Commissioner’s Office under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, in the light of the findings of the Court of Justice of the European Union on 6 October 2015 in respect of the European Commission’s US Safe Harbour Decision (Case C–362/14).

lord ashton of hyde: The ICO, as an independent regulator, would need to consider itself what liabilities, if any, it might have as a result of any judgments. The Government expects the ICO to comply with all of its legal obligations. However, it is not the Government's duty to advise an independent regulator on what these are.

Football: Governing Bodies

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the governance of English football.

lord ashton of hyde: The Football Association is required to comply with the highest standards of sports governance as set out in Sport England and UK Sport's A Code for Sports Governance. The FA, along with all other National Governing Bodies of sport, had until the 31st October to demonstrate that they comply with the Code.Sport England and UK Sport will be assessing the evidence provided by the FA shortly to determine whether or not the FA is Code compliant. Any organisation found to be non-compliant will be at risk of having their public funding removed.

Gaming Machines

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of reducing the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals from £100 to £2.

lord ashton of hyde: The Government issued a call for evidence to inform the Review of Gaming Machine Stakes and Prizes and Social Responsibility Measures last year. Following on from the call for evidence the Government published on 31 October a consultation which includes options on reducing the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals. The consultation, and its accompanying impact assessment are attached and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-proposals-for-changes-to-gaming-machines-and-social-responsibility-measures



Impact Assessment - Consultation on proposals
(PDF Document, 435.94 KB)




Consultation  Gaming Machines Oct 2017
(PDF Document, 928.38 KB)

Gambling: Children

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theyintend tomake it unlawful for gaming operators to permit people under 18 to gamble online or in gambling premises.

lord ashton of hyde: The minimum legal age for most forms of gambling in Great Britain is 18. This applies to adult gaming centres, betting shops, bingo halls, casinos, race tracks and online gambling.All gambling operators offering gambling services to people in Great Britain must have a licence from the Gambling Commission, and must have effective policies and procedures designed to prevent underage gambling.All online gambling operators must have robust age verification controls.The Gambling Commission has a range of powers to act where there is a failure to prevent underage gambling. These include powers to suspend or revoke a licence, impose financial penalties or launch criminal action.

Football Association: Finance

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Football Association’s purpose and performance in relation to the provision of public funding.

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much public funding is provided to the Football Association annually; for what purpose; and who benefits.

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they will use to decide whether to withdraw public funds from the Football Association if it fails to meet equality and diversity obligations and standards of governance.

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what alternative provision would be made for the beneficiaries of public funding awarded to the Football Association should it be withdrawn.

lord ashton of hyde: Sport England has awarded the Football Association £14.6 million over the next 4 years up to 2021. This funding will support a number of FA grassroots programmes, including its disability programme and women and girls talent projects. The funding will also improve the experiences of the 1.6 million people that play football regularly, as well as help encourage new players, coaches and officials, from all backgrounds and abilities. In addition, Sport England is investing £2 million per year into the FA to support their work to enhance the quality and diversity of the coaching workforce in football, including providing bursaries to support women and Black and Minority Ethnic coaches develop their coaching abilities from the grassroots to the elite levels of the game. The FA, like all sports bodies in receipt of public funding, is required to comply with the highest standards of sports governance as set out in Sport England and UK Sport's A Code for Sports Governance. This includes having at least 30 per cent gender diversity on boards, acting in an open and transparent way and making progress on BAME representation in sports administration. All funded bodies, including the FA, have been working closely with Sport England and/or UK Sport over the past few months to agree what they need to do to meet the Governance Code. They had until 31 October to provide evidence of progress towards meeting the requirements in the Code. Sport England and UK Sport will be reviewing this evidence, and will continue to be rigorous in their monitoring of on-going compliance. Any organisation found to be non-compliant would be at risk of having their public funding removed. In this scenario, Sport England would divert money to other sport projects, so that grassroots sport overall would not suffer.

Sports: Governing Bodies

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress that governing bodies in sport are making to meet the requirements of the Code for Sports Governance; and how that progress is monitored.

lord ashton of hyde: All National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) in receipt of public funding have been working closely with Sport England and/or UK Sport over the past few months to agree what they need to do to meet the requirements of the Code for Sports Governance.NGBs had until 31 October to provide evidence of how they are complying with the requirements in the code. Sport England and UK Sport will be reviewing this evidence, and will continue to be rigorous in their monitoring of on-going compliance of NGBs going forward.We have been clear that any organisations deemed to be non-compliant are at risk of having their funding removed.

Electronic Surveillance: USA

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 23 October (HL1753), what steps they have taken to examine the legal status of Privacy Shield.

lord ashton of hyde: The Privacy Shield is a statement of principles issued by the US Department for Commerce, following on from an agreement between the US and the European Union. The EU-US Privacy Shield is accompanied by a decision of the European Commission under articles 25(6) of Directive 95/46 EC. The Commission Decision addresses the CJEU's invalidation of the previous Commission Decision - the Safe Harbor framework in the Schrems judgment of 2015. In this respect, any subsequent examination of the legal status of matters concerning the EU-US Privacy Shield would be a matter for the CJEU in the face of a legal challenge being brought against it.

Department of Health

Mental Health Act 1983 Independent Review

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that patients, carers and clinicians are fully consulted during the independent review of the Mental Health Act 1983.

lord o'shaughnessy: On 4 October 2017, the Prime Minister announced an independent review of mental health legislation and practice to tackle the issue of mental health detention on 4 October 2017. The independent review will be chaired by Professor Sir Simon Wessely, a former President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. As detailed in the review’s Terms of Reference, the government has commissioned Sir Simon to conduct the review using principles of co-production, working closely with service users, carers, relevant professionals, and impacted organisations in all aspects of its work. The review will seek to make recommendations to Government, which has broad support from these groups.

Mental Hospitals

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decrease in inpatient psychiatric beds and any relationship this may have to the increase in the use of the Mental Health Act 1983.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Prime Minister announced an independent review of mental health legislation and practice to tackle the issue of mental health detention on 4 October 2017. The independent review will look at a range of issues, and central to this will be a consideration of why rates of detention are increasing, and what can be done to reduce inappropriate detention and improve how different agencies respond to people in crisis. The review will make recommendations to Government in 2018. In addition to this, NHS England is considering the findings of the independent Commission to review the provision of acute inpatient psychiatric care for adults and intends to publish a response shortly. The Commission was established by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in January 2015 to review the provision of acute inpatient psychiatric beds. Its report Old problems New Solutions: Improving acute psychiatric care for adults in England, published in January 2016, made a number of recommendations for improving the service. A copy of the report is attached.



Report on psychiatric care 
(PDF Document, 1.16 MB)

Mental Health Services

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure mental health issues are addressed before patients reach a state where they need to be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the link between good community mental health services and lower rates of detention under the Mental Health Act 1983.

lord o'shaughnessy: On 4 October 2017, the Prime Minister announced an independent review of mental health legislation and practice to tackle the issue of mental health detention. The independent review will look at a range of issues, and central to this will be a consideration of why rates of detention are increasing and what can be done to reduce inappropriate detention and improve how different agencies respond to people in crisis. The review will make recommendations to Government in 2018. The Government recognises that improved community mental health services need to be in place, to support people before their mental health deteriorates to the point they need to be detained under the Mental Health Act. Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams will therefore receive £400 million in additional funding by 2021, to ensure that they can offer a responsive service at all times of the day. The Government is also investing £247 million to 2021 in mental health support in hospital emergency departments, and police forces are working National Health Service partners to deliver street triage services to support people with immediate mental health needs. The Government has already introduced a waiting time standard to help ensure that people receive rapid access to Early Intervention in Psychosis services, and in August 2017, 75.3% of patients started treatment within two weeks of referral. On 18 October, the Government launched a new £15 million scheme, Beyond Places of Safety. This will seek to fund services in 2018/19 and 2019/20, including places of calm and crisis cafes, that offer support to people who are at risk of mental health crisis.

Eggs

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of UK eggs not produced within the Red Lion scheme.

lord o'shaughnessy: The United Kingdom Government has not specifically assessed different egg production schemes.

Social Services: Older People

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what change there will be in the number of people aged 65 and above by 2030; and what assessment they have made of the demand for an increase in the number of care workers and the need for measures to be introduced to aid recruitment and retention.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Office for National Statistics publishes population projections. The latest forecasts for England between 2017 and 2030 shows there is projected to be a 31% increase from 10,063,400 to 13,166,900 in the number of people aged 65 and over. The Department is aware that our challenge, working alongside stakeholders in the adult social care sector, is to ensure the workforce has the right number of people to meet increasing demands, with the right skills, knowledge and behaviours to deliver quality, compassionate care. That is why we have set out a plan to attract and retain talented staff, backed by an additional £2 billion investment in the sector over the next three years and a commitment to consult on the future of social care to ensure sustainability in the long term. Skill for Care publishes projections of the adult social care workforce and they forecast the number of adult social care jobs could increase by 31% (500,000 jobs) to around two million jobs by 2030.

World Health Organisation

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the World Health Organisation (WHO)concerning the appointment of Robert Mugabe as a WHO Ambassador.

lord o'shaughnessy: The World Health Organization has now rescinded President Mugabe’s appointment as a Goodwill Ambassador on Non-Communicable Diseases. The United Kingdom welcomes this decision, and we are pleased that Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus listened to the concerns raised by many countries, including the UK, and also by civil society groups working in global health. We look forward to working with him to help the organisation address the world’s most pressing health challenges in the years ahead.

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust: Pensions

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a letter of comfort has been given by the NHS Business Authority to the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust to enable NHS staff who transfer to its proposed wholly owned subsidiary company to be able to continue to access the NHS Pension Scheme.

lord o'shaughnessy: The NHS Business Services Authority has not provided a letter of comfort to Airedale NHS Foundation Trust. The Authority has written to Airedale NHS Foundation Trust requesting further information about the proposed transfer but to date this has not been supplied. A letter of comfort can be considered upon receipt of this information.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the 2.5 per cent level of serious adverse events in clinical trials of Gardasil and Gardasil 9; and whether this represents an acceptable level of risk for patients.

lord o'shaughnessy: Safety data from the clinical trials of Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccines were thoroughly reviewed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as part of the licensing process of the vaccines. A serious adverse event (SAE) in a clinical trial is any untoward medical occurrence in a study subject and does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the treatment.The overall proportions and types of SAEs reported in the Gardasil, Gardasil 9 and placebo or comparator groups were comparable, indicating that most were not related to the vaccines. The EMA authorised Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccines for use on the basis that the benefits of vaccination outweighed the possible side effects. The potential side effects of Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccines are listed in the product information. As with all vaccines and medicines, the safety of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines has remained under continual review in the post-licensing period. At least three million girls have been vaccinated so far in the United Kingdom, with tens of millions more worldwide. Thorough reviews undertaken by health authorities across the world have found no evidence to support a link between HPV vaccine and the development of chronic illnesses, and concluded that the balance of benefits and risks remains favourable.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the 3.3 per cent of patients presenting withnew medical conditions potentially indicative of autoimmune disorders in clinical trials of Gardasil and Gardasil 9.

lord o'shaughnessy: Safety data from the clinical trials of Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccines were thoroughly reviewed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as part of the licensing process of the vaccines. A serious adverse event (SAE) in a clinical trial is any untoward medical occurrence in a study subject and does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the treatment. SAEs potentially indicative of an autoimmune disorder were evaluated in the Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccine clinical trials. The rates of autoimmune disorders were similar to that seen in the placebo or comparator groups, indicating that they were not related to the vaccines. The EMA authorised Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccines for use on the basis that the benefits of vaccination outweighed the possible side effects. The potential side effects of Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccines are listed in the product information. As with all vaccines and medicines, the safety of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines has remained under continual review in the post-licensing period. At least three million girls have been vaccinated so far in the United Kingdom, with tens of millions more worldwide. Thorough reviews undertaken by health authorities across the world have found no evidence to support a link between HPV vaccine and the development of chronic illnesses, and concluded that the balance of benefits and risks remains favourable.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many reports of suspected adverse reactions to human papilloma virus vaccines have been followed up with individual patients.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) encourages anyone to report a suspected adverse reaction (ADR) to a vaccine or medicine through the Yellow Card Scheme. A Yellow Card report is not proof of a side effect occurring, but a suspicion by the reporter that the vaccine or medicine may have been the cause. Such reports are kept under continual review to identify potential new risks. Follow up procedures for Yellow Card reports are in place and are designed to ensure that relevant information is sought where it is missing and could help with the evaluation of a report and associated safety signals. The MHRA has received 780 reports of suspected ADRs to human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines directly from United Kingdom members of the public up to 20 October 2017. Of these, 278 (35%) have been followed up for further clinical details. This does not include reports for which detailed information had already been provided by the reporter and thus did not require further MHRA follow up.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 18 October (HL1965), on what evidence the enhanced pharmacovigilance relating to human papilloma virus vaccines was based.

lord o'shaughnessy: In evaluating vaccine and medicines safety, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) takes account of all available sources of evidence. The enhanced form of pharmacovigilance for human papillomavirus vaccine was based primarily on the evaluation of Yellow Card reports alongside data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. As part of routine pharmacovigilance, the MHRA also takes account of information contained in periodic safety update reports from the marketing authorisation holders, any ongoing safety studies, any information from other worldwide health authorities and evidence from published medical literature.

Travel: Vaccination

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation they have undertaken on proposals to remove the free provision of travel vaccinations.

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for public health of the proposal to remove the free provision of travel vaccinations for diphtheria, polio and tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera; and whether this will create a particular risk for people travelling to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has not undertaken any consultation on proposals to remove free provision of travel vaccination. However, on 21 July 2017, NHS England started a three month consultation on guidance for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) entitled Items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: A Consultation on guidance for CCGs. A copy of the consultation is attached. The consultation document contains a section on travel vaccines. This sought to ensure that travel vaccines that are not currently commissioned in the National Health Service are not administered by the NHS for the purposes of travel in error. This relates to hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, meningitis ACWY, yellow fever, tick-borne encephalitis, rabies and BCG. The consultation closed on 21 October. NHS England is currently analysing the responses it has received and will publish the final guidance in due course, which will ensure that, among other things, the principles of best practice on clinical prescribing are adhered to. In this consultation document, NHS England asked Public Health England (PHE) to conduct a review of travel vaccines currently available on the NHS to assess their appropriateness for prescribing on the NHS. This relates to diphtheria/tetanus/polio, typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera. PHE has not yet started this review. It will be an initial assessment of the need and value of a more in-depth look at travel vaccination policy. The public health implications of any potential policy change will be a key consideration.  



Consultation on prescribing 
(PDF Document, 696.58 KB)

Cancer: Analgesics

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherone possibleoutcome of NHS England’s consultation, Items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care: consultation on guidance for CCGs,may be alimit imposed on the pain management treatments prescribed within NICE guidelines for cancer patients.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England’s consultation on draft guidance for clinical commissioning groups on a range of items that should not routinely be prescribed in primary care ended on 21 October. The draft guidance seeks to ensure that the National Health Service is able to secure best value from its use of medicines and therefore focuses on areas of prescribing that have been found to be unsafe, ineffective or where there are more cost effective alternatives. We would not want to pre-empt any outcome following NHS England’s careful analysis of the responses it has received.

Hepatitis: Drugs

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review run rates for Operational Delivery Networks providing treatment for hepatitis C, in the light of current variations in the level of demand in relation to capacity.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England will keep the run rates for each Operational Delivery Network (ODN) under review, as in 2016/17, taking into account available data on estimated need and performance across the Networks. NHS England has a Commissioning for Quality and Innovation scheme in place for hepatitis C virus, which provides a substantial opportunity for hospitals to earn additional income for success, rather than any financial penalties. All hospitals who deliver between 90% and 100% of the planned rates of expansion receive the additional payment. In 2016/17, no ODN exceeded their run rate.

Hepatitis: Drugs

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any financial penalties have been applied to those Operational Delivery Networks which have exceeded their run rates for the treatment of hepatitis C.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England will keep the run rates for each Operational Delivery Network (ODN) under review, as in 2016/17, taking into account available data on estimated need and performance across the Networks. NHS England has a Commissioning for Quality and Innovation scheme in place for hepatitis C virus, which provides a substantial opportunity for hospitals to earn additional income for success, rather than any financial penalties. All hospitals who deliver between 90% and 100% of the planned rates of expansion receive the additional payment. In 2016/17, no ODN exceeded their run rate.

Pregnancy: Health Education

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the take-up of advice given on National Health Service websites about preventing pregnancies affected by neural tube defects is monitored.

lord o'shaughnessy: There are no mechanisms in place for routine monitoring of the take-up of advice given on the NHS Choices website about preventing pregnancies affected by neural tube defects.

Primodos

lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the expert working group report into Primodos is expected to be published.

lord o'shaughnessy: The report of the Commission on Human Medicines’ Expert Working Group on Hormone Pregnancy Tests (including Primodos) is currently being finalised and is expected to be published before the end of autumn.

Hepatitis: Drugs

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 18 July (HL529), whether the figure of £200 million represents only the cost of medicines for the treatment of hepatitis C, or whether it includes the cost of associated ancillary treatments; whether the NHS procurement process for hepatitis C drug treatments has achieved any cost savings; and if so, what is the value of those savings.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England spent in excess of £200 million on direct acting antivirals for hepatitis C in 2016-17. This figure does not include associated ancillary treatments. Through twice yearly drug procurements and working closely with industry, NHS England has secured reduced prices, which is on course to generate savings of more than £50 million. Reductions in drug price enables the year on year expansion in treatments to remain affordable.

Alcoholic Drinks: Cancer

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent paper from Professor Mark Petticrew How alcohol industry organisations mislead the public about alcohol and cancer.

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of Professor Mark Petticrew's paperHow alcohol industry organisations mislead the public about alcohol and cancer, whether they intend to review the current voluntary labelling agreement with the alcohol industry.

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of Professor Mark Petticrew's paperHow alcohol industry organisations mislead the public about alcohol and cancer, what steps they are taking to raise public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer.

lord o'shaughnessy: No specific assessment has been made of Professor Petticrew’s paper. There are no plans to change the current voluntary labelling agreement; however, the Government has been clear about the risks of alcohol. The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer’s (UK CMO) low risk drinking guidelines recommend drinking no more than 14 units a week to reduce risk, and state that there is no level of regular drinking that can be considered completely safe in relation to some cancers. Public Health England regularly sets out the dangers of alcohol, for example promoting the message that you can reduce your risk of cancers by making lifestyle changes through campaigns like ‘One You’. The Government has made clear that it expects the UK CMO’s guidance to be reflected on alcohol labels and has provided industry with advice and examples of how best to do that. We know that a number of organisations, such as the British Retail Consortium, are already implementing this guidance.

NHS: Fees and Charges

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact of changes to NHS charging regulations on refused asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups, including (1) victims of trafficking, (2) homeless people, and (3) those living with mental health conditions.

lord o'shaughnessy: Entitlement to free National Health Service care is largely based on being ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, or being otherwise exempt from charges under the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 (the Charging Regulations). Being ordinarily resident broadly means living here on a lawful and properly settled basis. A person can be ordinarily resident without having a fixed address. Following a detailed public consultation, the Government set out in its response, Making a fair contribution: Government response to the consultation on the extension of charging overseas visitors and migrants using the NHS in England, that it intended to amend the existing Charging Regulations to ensure, amongst other things, that chargeable overseas visitors make a fair contribution towards the cost of NHS care they use regardless of the setting in which it is provided. Some providers of NHS-funded care were not included in the previous Charging Regulations so could not apply a charge to overseas visitors, whilst in some circumstances care that would be chargeable if provided to an overseas visitor at a hospital would not be chargeable if it was provided in a non-hospital setting. Consistent with its existing published guidance, the Government also set out in its response its intention to require upfront charging in respect of non-urgent treatment. A copy of Making a fair contribution is attached. However, some services remain free to all, including primary medical services, the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, and accident and emergency services until admission to hospital as an inpatient. Also, some groups of vulnerable overseas visitors remain exempt from charge for all their treatment, including victims, and suspected victims, of modern slavery and human trafficking, asylum seekers and refused asylum seekers receiving specified packages of state support, and those liable to be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 or deprived of their liberty under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. During the decision-making process, the Government carefully considered the impact of the proposed changes on vulnerable groups. Further, the Government will review the impact of upfront charging and extending charges to out of hospital care and care provided by non-NHS organisations. This work will help ensure that the policies are working as intended.



Government response to the consultation
(PDF Document, 998.8 KB)

Mental Health

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any statisticsdemonstrating whether the practice of mindfulness increases productivity and promotes well-being.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government does not collect data on the practice of mindfulness on productivity and well-being. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends mindfulness as a way to prevent depression in people who have had three or more bouts of depression in the past. The What Works Centre for Wellbeing has found that mindfulness training can have a positive impact on wellbeing. Their report, learning at work and wellbeing, is attached.



Learning at work and wellbeing
(PDF Document, 2.01 MB)

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers of Lord O’Shaughnessy on 19 July 2017 (HL684 and HL685), and in the light of two recent studies on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) services, Specialist treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome/ME (Bristol University, July 2017), and Spotlight on specialist services; UK healthcare for people with ME (Action for ME July 2017), what assessment they have made of the findings that (1) fewer than half the commissioning bodies commission specialist services for people with ME/CFS, (2) fewer than a third of patients seen report improvements, and (3) there are no domiciliary or in-patient services for the severely ill and housebound; and whether they intend to conduct an examination of ME/CFS provision nationwide.

lord o'shaughnessy: Clinical commissioning groups (CCG) are responsible for commissioning many healthcare services to meet the needs and requirements of their local population, including those for people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. In doing so, CCGs commission services that reflect the needs of local people and that support improvements in health and healthcare outcomes. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance set outs best practice for clinicians on the diagnosis, treatment care and support of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis and supports commissioners to to plan services for local populations.On 20 September 2017, NICE announced plans to undertake a full review of the guidance.A copy of the guidance is attached.



NICE guidance on CFS/ME
(PDF Document, 919.08 KB)

Antibiotics: Research

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they areco-operating with other EU nations in the development of new antibiotics.

lord o'shaughnessy: The United Kingdom Government considers international inter-governmental co-operation to be essential to overcoming the existing market failure in the development of new antibiotics. European Union nations have a major role to play, which is why the UK has advocated for EU support for this objective at G20 and its inclusion in regional priorities around antimicrobial resistance and research and development. To support the development of new antibiotics, we continue to work closely with EU nations to increase investment, co-fund and improve coordination of research and development and share best practice around national purchasing arrangements.

Transvaginal Mesh Implants

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the publication in July of NHS England's Mesh Oversight Group final report, whether they intend to hold a formal investigation into the concerns attributed to the use of surgical mesh implants.

lord o'shaughnessy: The final report of the Mesh Oversight Group led by NHS England sets out the action that has been taken to improve awareness of complications, to ensure the consent process for patients is strengthened and to put in place access to additional care where needed. The Government will continue to work with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to ensure that the potential complications of these devices are better understood and that any necessary action is taken.